Review: Surrendered to the Sea by Dessa Lux

Devon is an omega werewolf. He’s rather ambivalent about life. He dropped out of college, still lives at home, and he figures he’s doomed to an arranged marriage for the good of his pack. One night, while on a yacht vacation with his parents, Devon stares out into the sea and thinks it might be best for him, and for everyone, if he just jumped in and surrendered his life to it. So, that’s exactly what he does.

Lir is a sea god. He spends his life as the ocean. He doesn’t take human form simply because his domain doesn’t have any land masses nearby, therefore it’s not necessary. Lir’s father is unhappy with him because of that and gives Lir an ultimatum. He must learn to care for (and about) a “landwalker” or he’ll turn Lir into one, and banish him from his beloved ocean forever.

Lir sees Devon’s arrival as a way to prove to his father he can, indeed, take care of a landwalkerand all the needs and wants that will come along with him. As time passes, Lir and Devon feel a kinship that is turning deeper, and when Devon’s heat comes, their feelings take on a whole new meaning.

The question is whether Lir and Devon can survive morning sickness, a new wolf on the island, Devon’s longing for his family and pack, and Lir’s meddling (but well meaning) brothers and father.

I really enjoyed this book and its unique take on werewolves. You all know by now, I loves me some shifters, and wolves are my favorite. When I saw this was available, I jumped on the chance to read it. I wasn’t disappointed in the slightest.

First off, there is a LOT going on in Surrendered to the Sea. If I were to go over everything, I’d be writing for days. I’m going to try and give you a bare bones idea of the story, but I’d like for you to consider reading this one for yourselves to get the full gist of it all.

Lir and Devon were great characters. They were fully fleshed out, multi-dimensioned men with thoughts, emotions, wants, and needs. I loved how the author managed to take the time to accomplish this. I was impressed and pleased at how much I felt for them. They had excellent chemistry, and it was lovely to see them move from fear and uncertainty to a love as deep as the ocean itself. Lir discovered he actually could care for a landwalker, and Devon found that, with the right mate, he could feel whole and happy. Their love was a slower burn than most, but the wait was worth it. I love to be able to “feel the fall” as I like to refer it. It passes at a relatively normal pace, so there’s plenty of getting to know each other time. Yes, there’s a palpable tension, but nothing happens until Devon goes into heat. Then? Well, all bets are off. They’re so hot together. My Kindle steamed, and my skin grew warm. SO worth the wait.

There are a lot of background characters in this story, so I couldn’t possibly go through them all. However, the most important ones are Mar, one of Lir’s brothers, and Harry, another werewolf brought to the island to keep Devon company. They are definitely not there as fillers for plot holes. They each play an important role in the story and in Lir and Devon’s lives. After that, we have a few other sea gods, Devon’s parents, and Harry’s other packmates. There are so many that, in another author’s hands, could have been overwhelming, but Dessa Lux has always written background characters who are well thought, and fleshed, out.

Another fantastic thing about Surrendered to the Sea was the actual world building. It was so clear, I could see it in my head like a movie. I could practically feel the ocean and sun on my skin and smell the sea air all around me. I particularly loved the description of how Lir built the island he and Devon lived on. It was something I’d have never thought about, plastic refuse from the ocean floor, and it provided an environmental lesson as well. The numbers were staggering, and proved that the bags and bags of recycling we collect and cash in are well worth it.

I’m not going to give away any spoilers, but as I included mpregin the tags, you’ll know Devon gets pregnant. I liked reading about how happy Lir and Devon were about it. It was domestic and sweet. They built a house, got pillows, blankets, even a crib (how they get the stuff is another longish description, so I’ll let you all read about that yourselves). Lir was just like a human, or werewolf, father. He was excited and thrilled, and it was delightful to read.

Of course, a book wouldn’t be a book without some angst. We did get some, and I did cry, but it wasn’t so much that I found myself skimming through it to get to the happy parts again. After that, the ending was very satisfying. Everything wrapped up neatly, and in the most adorable way possible. Also, should the author wish to continue the series, I found several ways that could happen, and I’d be first in line to read them.

All in all, Surrendered to the Sea is an interesting take on your every day shifter story. Werewolves and sea gods can actually work together to make an excellent plot. I highly recommend you get this one for yourself. You won’t be sorry.

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